Since I Don't Know Anything About It, Shall We Break Up, Your Majesty? - Chapter 42

‘Karl Winger, Karl Winger…’

Marquis Evoque muttered his name while pacing in circles in the same spot.

Karl Winger’s return wasn’t actually a big problem.

If he had gone somewhere, he was bound to return someday.

The problem was that he was with that woman.

‘What’s going on? I thought I’d never see that woman again?’

It was he who had tipped off Landers that Karl Winger and that painter woman were particularly close.

Although Karl Winger was said to have other lovers, that painter woman was special.

Others might not have noticed, but it couldn’t escape the eyes of this Paul Evoque.

The way he looked at her, his expression, even the air surrounding the two of them.

Of course, if asked to provide concrete evidence, there was nothing he could point to.

But if asked if he was certain, he could swear on his honor that he was.

Love couldn’t be hidden even if one tried to conceal it.

“Marquis?”

Madam Rosa glanced at Marquis Evoque, lost in thought.

His pensive look was unsettling.

Although she was secretly observing Lumiere and the owner at the Marquis’s request, it wasn’t something she particularly enjoyed doing.

But as with all things in life, one couldn’t always do only what they wanted.

Especially adults with many responsibilities. They particularly had to learn to endure more.

‘…Well, it probably won’t be a big deal.’

After all, he was this era’s greatest capitalist, and his lover.

It meant that even if outsiders wanted to interfere with them, they weren’t people who could be easily messed with.

But she was different.

Rosa clutched the cotton pad she was using to remove her heavy makeup, her face hardening.

The bright look in her eyes suddenly darkened.

‘I… still need the Marquis.’

Rosa had sixteen family members she had to support.

Although they weren’t related by blood, to her, they were all like family.

Rosa was willing to do anything to protect them.

Marquis Evoque was a noble senator, and among them, a powerful figure who could deeply involve himself in the capital’s administrative rights.

It was because of his protection that she and the orphanage she was protecting had been able to live stably until now.

“…This won’t do. I need to see it with my own eyes!”

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes, I have to go! I’ll be back tomorrow, so don’t be too disappointed.”

Marquis Evoque held out a gift he had prepared for Rosa.

Madam Rosa’s eyes widened at the appearance of a necklace with a huge diamond embedded in it.

“What is this?”

“A gift, a gift. Because you’ve been working so hard lately. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow.”

Marquis Evoque casually gifted what looked like an extremely expensive necklace and then hurriedly left.

Madam Rosa waved her hand until the Marquis’s figure, rushing out as if his tail was on fire, completely disappeared. As soon as he was gone, she took out the necklace and held it up to the light.

The brilliantly shining jewel was incredibly beautiful.

“…How can I not become materialistic when faced with this?”

A bitter laugh escaped her.

No matter how great an opera singer one was, there wasn’t much money one could earn.

It was just that as popularity increased, the amount of sponsorship and gifts grew larger, and that’s how wealth was accumulated.

Rosa muttered in a cynical voice.

“Well, I should wear it once or twice to show appreciation before selling it.”

This would surely be enough to buy new coats for each of the children in the orphanage this winter and still have some left over.

The thought made her feel better.

This is how money should be used, after all.

She found herself humming.

“The performance is over. Now then, shall we go tease Elina?”

I need to tell her about the painter girl’s situation too.

She quickly tidied up and went outside.

Because there was another performance tomorrow, all the actors had already gone home early.

Just because they were glamorous actors didn’t mean they could afford to be arrogant.

Especially during the opera season, where they had to be even more careful with their bodies.

The lifespan of a voice was limited.

The theaters willing to stage their performances were also limited.

To survive here, one needed either strong backing or exceptional skill.

Once pushed out, it was over.

Although they provided pleasure, they themselves had no time to indulge in it.

Such luxuries were only for those born with money and power from the start.

‘We are just beings who give pleasure to such people and receive compensation in return.’

It was somewhat better if one had a great sponsor like her or had built up a reputation.

Most faded away without ever getting a chance at a major role.

‘So I shouldn’t complain and just work hard.’

Compromise was something you could do only when you had some leeway.

Rosa carefully hugged the bag containing the necklace and climbed into the carriage with quick steps.

“Ah, that’s right!”

Just before the carriage departed, Rosa’s eyes widened as she remembered something and looked back.

She looked out the window of the departing carriage with a face that said ‘oops’.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t mention that the painter girl’s condition seemed strange?”

…Well, it should be fine, right? It wasn’t anything too serious.

‘Miss, did you perhaps break up with our owner?’

‘…I don’t know what you mean. Are you saying I was dating the owner here?’

A sudden coldness appeared on her previously kind face.

The eyes that had seemed naive until then suddenly turned sharp.

‘And… why are you curious about such things?’

That look wasn’t just from being in a bad mood.

It was clear wariness.

A hostile attitude that seemed ready to bite if pushed.

“Something must have happened there in the past few months…”

Clearly, until a few months ago, she didn’t react like this when similar topics were brought up.

‘Does he have only one lover? I’m just a friend he talks to occasionally.’

She used to respond mechanically with gentle smiles and soft answers, but why did she suddenly become so sharp?

‘It must be related to Marquis Evoque, right? Or Tartien behind him?’

…Well, I don’t need to know that far.

Getting too deeply involved might crush me in a fight between whales.

It didn’t matter if someone cursed at her.

She just wanted to live a long and quiet life.

Long and quiet, without any incidents.

* * *

“We’re going to the Tartien house right now!”

As soon as Marquis Evoque got into the carriage, he urged them to depart.

The coachman who had been waiting quickly gripped the reins at the Marquis’s angry shout.

But the carriage had to stop as soon as it started because someone threw dozens of rotten eggs at the Marquis’s carriage and horses all at once.

Neigh–!

The attacked horse reared up in surprise, stomping its front and back legs.

Because of this, the carriage shook violently, and Marquis Evoque, who was sitting inside, fell forward.

“What! What’s going on?”

“Th-that… Eggs came flying from somewhere. I’ll catch the culprit right away!”

The servant sitting next to the coachman hurriedly got up.

The Marquis waved his hand irritably and said,

“Forget it! Those things aren’t important right now. Just depart!”

“B-but if we let them go now…”

“You’re a brave one. With such courage, they’ll surely try again. It won’t be too late to teach them a lesson then. So stop arguing and depart!”

“Y-yes! Understood.”

At Evoque’s angry order, the servant urged the coachman to quickly drive the carriage.

The carriage sped away.

Marquis Evoque looked disapprovingly at the dirty egg traces flowing down the window, then abruptly turned his head.

In fact, he had a pretty good idea who might have done such a thing.

It was probably the son of the servant he had kicked out last month, cutting the tendons in his leg for the crime of accidentally stepping on his foot.

If not him, it could have been the former owner of the Retoto estate that he had confiscated a few months ago.

He remembered being informed that the man’s sister had died a dog’s death during the confiscation process.

He also remembered how the man had followed him all the way to the capital, confronting him with eyes full of resentment.

‘But so what?’

A few ants can’t kill a wolf.

No matter how hard those insignificant beings try, they’re annoying but not threatening.

If push comes to shove, I can just crush them underfoot.

‘Unfair? Yes, it must be unfair. But what can you do?’

He was a noble, and they were not.

He was of the noble bloodline chosen by God, but they were of the abandoned bloodline not chosen by God.

The lower class ultimately existed to serve the nobility.

Lineage is precious precisely because it can never be changed.

If it could easily change or be shaken, how could it have great value?